LACONIA (2.40) looks like finally getting off the mark in the Spa Median Auction Maiden Stakes at Bath today.

Stan Moore's sprinter, who has already hit the post and crossbar this season, deserves to find the back of the net and she'll never find and easier opportunity than this afternoon's weakly-contested affair.

Laconia's latest outing was typical of the bad luck that has dogged her career to date. Having appeared to hold the upper hand entering the final furlong, she was caught right on the line by the in-form Sid Woodman-trained, Ivory Lace. That race was a fairly warm 14-runner handicap, whereas Laconia now only has to beat a bunch of ordinary maidens in order to score.

Make a note of Classic Millennium (3.40) for the following Bath Ales Barnstormer Fillies' Handicap.

The talented young South African apprentice, Lisa Jones, gets on particularly well with the selection, a close-up second on both of her most recent starts on the all-weather circuit.

Although fully effective at the likes of the man-made tracks such as Southwell and Wolverhampton, Classic Millennium's past record, which includes victories at Sandown's Grade One course, suggests the mare is actually far better on turf.

Mark Johnston's Etmaam (4.40) bids to make up for his dismal performance at Ripon in April.

Backed as if defeat was out of the question, Etmaam was never travelling at any stage and in the end did well to make sufficient late headway to grab fifth spot.

Johnston's long distance raider is a fabulously handsome individual and it will be a major surprise if he doesn't make a much better fist of things, especially as he is being stepped up to a more suitable trip.

After being forced to shut up shop for a few weeks with an outbreak of the damagingly contagious equine herpes virus disease, Richard Fahey's horses have returned all guns blazing.

Fahey intends on making hay while the sun is shining and his current purple patch appears all set to continue courtesy of Oldenway (7.50) in the mile-and-a-half Courvoisier Handicap at Musselburgh.

Oldenway would have seen more daylight in the Tyne Tunnel compared to the hole he found himself in when getting buried at the two-furlong pole at Nottingham last time out.

It is the sort disaster not likely to occur in two consecutive races, and given a little more space to strut his stuff, the consistent gelding seems certain to give another good account.

Get more on racing at our Racing North site.